''Perkinsus'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of
alveolate
The alveolates (meaning "pitted like a honeycomb") are a group of protists, considered a major clade and superphylum within Eukarya. They are currently grouped with the stramenopiles and Rhizaria among the protists with tubulocristate mitochon ...
s in the phylum
Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, ''
Perkinsus marinus'', known formerly as ''Dermocystidium marinum''.
These are
parasitic
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...
protozoa
Protozoa (singular: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Histor ...
ns that infect
molluscs
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
, at least some of which cause disease and mass mortality. ''P. marinus'' is the most notorious, causing the disease perkinsosis, or dermo, in wild and farmed
oyster
Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not a ...
s.
[Petty, D]
''Perkinsus'' Infections of Bivalve Molluscs.
FA178. Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. Florida Cooperative Extension Service. University of Florida IFAS. 2010.
As of 2004, six valid species were in the genus.
[ At least two more have been described since then.]Perkinsus andrewsi
''Perkinsus'' is a genus of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, ''Perkinsus marinus'', known formerly as ''Dermocystidium marinum''. These are parasitic protozoans that infect moll ...
'' on Baltic clam (''Macoma balthica'')Perkinsus beihaiensis
''Perkinsus'' is a genus of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, ''Perkinsus marinus'', known formerly as ''Dermocystidium marinum''. These are parasitic protozoans that infect moll ...
'' on the oysters ''Magallana hongkongensis
The Hong Kong oyster (''Magallana hongkongensis''), is a species of true oyster found in Hong Kong and the mouth of Pearl River in China. The species was uniquely identified by comparing the genetic distances of mitochondrial DNA sequences. The ...
'' and '' M. ariakensis''[
*'']Perkinsus chesapeaki
''Perkinsus'' is a genus of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, ''Perkinsus marinus'', known formerly as ''Dermocystidium marinum''. These are parasitic protozoans that infect moll ...
'' on soft-shell clam
Soft-shell clams (American English) or sand gaper (British English/Europe), scientific name ''Mya arenaria'', popularly called "steamers", "softshells", "piss clams", "Ipswich clams", or "Essex clams" are a species of edible saltwater clam, ...
(''Mya arenaria'')Perkinsus honshuensis
''Perkinsus'' is a genus of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, ''Perkinsus marinus'', known formerly as ''Dermocystidium marinum''. These are parasitic protozoans that infect moll ...
'' on Manila clam (''Venerupis philippinarum'')[
*'' Perkinsus marinus'' on eastern oyster (''Crassostrea virginica'')
*'']Perkinsus mediterraneus
''Perkinsus'' is a genus of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, ''Perkinsus marinus'', known formerly as ''Dermocystidium marinum''. These are parasitic protozoans that infect moll ...
'' on European flat oyster (''Ostrea edulis'')Perkinsus qugwadii
''Perkinsus'' is a genus of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, ''Perkinsus marinus'', known formerly as ''Dermocystidium marinum''. These are parasitic protozoans that infect moll ...
'' on yesso scallop (''Patinopecten yessoensis'')
''P. andrewsi'' and ''P. chesapeaki'' might be the same species; because the latter was described first, the name ''P. andrewsi'' will be a synonym.
References
External links
*Guiry, M. D. & G. M. Guiry. 2013
''Perkinsus'' Levine, 1978.
AlgaeBase. National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 8 September 2013.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15156949
Perkinsozoa
Alveolata genera